JP2023505087A - electronic aerosol delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device (2, 202) for generating an aerosol from an article (4, 204) containing a portion of an aerosol-generating material (44, 244) is disclosed. The device comprises a receptacle (25, 225) for receiving an article comprising a portion of aerosol-generating material, an outlet (28, 228) fluidly coupled to the receptacle, and an article received in the receptacle. an aerosol-generating component (24, 224) configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the portions of the aerosol-generating material when present; and a control circuit (23, 223). The control circuitry is configured to cause the aerosol-generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from each portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material from the outlet. A method and means for generating an aerosol are also disclosed.
[Selection drawing] Fig. 5

Description

The present disclosure relates to non-combustible aerosol delivery systems.

Electronic aerosol delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), generally include a reservoir of source liquid, typically containing a nicotine-containing formulation, from which an aerosol is produced, for example, by thermal vaporization. Accordingly, an aerosol source for an aerosol delivery system may comprise a heater having a heating element arranged to receive source liquid from a reservoir, eg, by wicking/capillary action. While the user inhales with the device, power is supplied to the heating element to vaporize source liquid proximate the heating element to produce an aerosol for inhalation by the user. Such devices typically include one or more air inlet holes located remote from the mouthpiece end of the system. When a user puffs on a mouthpiece connected to the mouthpiece end of the system, air is drawn through the inlet hole and past the aerosol source. There is a flow path connecting between the aerosol source and the mouthpiece opening so that air passing through the aerosol source is carried along the flow path to the mouthpiece while carrying some of the aerosol from the aerosol source. Continue to be drawn into the opening. Aerosol-laden air exits the aerosol delivery system through a mouthpiece opening for inhalation by the user.

Other aerosol delivery devices generate aerosols from solid materials such as tobacco or tobacco derivatives. Such devices operate in much the same manner as the liquid-based systems described above, in which the solid tobacco material is heated to vaporization temperatures to produce an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the user. .

In most aerosol delivery devices, users want consistent delivery from puff to puff so that each puff tastes the same and/or has the same desired effect. However, the above devices cannot always provide consistent delivery.

Various techniques are described that attempt to help address some of these challenges.

According to a first aspect of certain embodiments, an aerosol delivery device is provided for generating an aerosol from an article comprising a portion of an aerosol-generating material. The device comprises a receptacle for receiving an article comprising a portion of aerosol-generating material, an outlet fluidly coupled to the receptacle, and a portion of the aerosol-generating material when the article is received in the receptacle. and a control circuit for controlling the aerosol-generating component. Here, the control circuitry is configured to cause the at least one aerosol-generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material from the outlet. be done.

In some examples, the control circuit directs the flow from each portion of the aerosol-generating material such that a substantially constant amount of aerosol passes through the outlet regardless of the distance from the outlet to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material. configured to generate a volume of aerosol.

In some examples, the control circuitry causes the aerosol-generating component to generate a greater amount of aerosol from each portion of the aerosol-generating material the farther away the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material is located from the outlet. Configured.

In some examples, the control circuit is configured to cause the aerosol-generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from the portion of the aerosol-generating material based on a function of the distance from the outlet to the portion of the aerosol-generating material. .

In some examples, the at least one aerosol-generating component is at least one heating element arranged to heat a portion of the aerosol-generating material.

In some examples, the control circuit is configured to set the operating temperature of the at least one heating element based on the distance from the outlet to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material.

In some examples, the control circuit is configured to set the operating temperature of the heating elements closer to the outlet lower than the operating temperature of the heating elements farther from the outlet.

In some examples, the control circuit is configured to set the heating time of the at least one heating element based on the distance from the outlet to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material.

に従って決定される。 In some examples, the portions of the aerosol-generating material, when received in the receptacle, are arranged in an N×M array relative to the outlets, and the control circuit applies X different amounts of the aerosol-generating components to the outlets. configured to generate an aerosol; where X is

determined according to

に従って決定される。 In some examples, the at least one aerosol-generating component comprises a plurality of aerosol-generating components arranged in an N×M array, and the control circuit directs each of the plurality of aerosol-generating components to X It is configured to operate at one of different power levels. where X is

determined according to

According to a second aspect of certain embodiments, an aerosol delivery system is provided, the system comprising an aerosol delivery device according to the first aspect and further comprising an article comprising a portion of aerosol-generating material.

In some examples, each portion of the aerosol-generating material is substantially the same.

In some examples, the properties of the aerosol-generating material differ based on the distance from the outlet when the aerosol-generating material is received in the receptacle.

In some examples, the aerosol-generating material is an amorphous solid.

According to a third aspect of certain embodiments, there is provided a method of generating an aerosol using an aerosol generating device. The method comprises the steps of: determining a distance between a portion of the aerosol-generating material and an exit of the device through which the generated aerosol can be inhaled by a user; Setting the amount of aerosol generated from the portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance; and generating the aerosol from the portion of the aerosol-generating material.

In a fourth aspect of certain embodiments, an aerosol delivery means is provided for generating an aerosol from an article comprising a portion of an aerosol-generating material. The means comprises a receiving means for receiving an article comprising a portion of the aerosol-generating material; an outlet means fluidly coupled to the receiving means; at least one aerosol generating means configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of them; and control means for controlling the aerosol generating means. wherein the control means is configured to cause the at least one aerosol-generating means to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material from the outlet means. be done.

Features and aspects of the invention described above with respect to the first and other aspects of the invention are equally applicable to embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention, and are not limited to the specific combinations described above. It will be appreciated that it may be combined with .

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol-generating article, the device comprising multiple heating elements and the article comprising multiple portions of aerosol-generating material; FIG. Figure 2 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 1; Figure 2 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 1; Figure 2 shows different angles of the aerosol supply of Figure 1; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional top view of a heating element of the aerosol delivery device of Figure 1; FIG. 4A is a top view of an exemplary touch sensitive panel for operating various functions of the aerosol delivery system; Figure 4 is a reproduction of Figure 3 with the addition of arrows indicating the distance between the heating element and the outlet of the device of Figure 1; 1 is an example schematic cross-section of an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and an aerosol-generating article, the device comprising a plurality of inductive action coils, the article comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material and their corresponding susceptor portions; FIG. Prepare. Figures 7A and 7B are views of the aerosol supply of Figure 6 from different angles; Figures 7A and 7B are views of the aerosol supply of Figure 6 from different angles; Figures 7A and 7B are views of the aerosol supply of Figure 6 from different angles;

Aspects and features of particular examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Certain aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be conventionally embodied and will not be discussed/described in detail for the sake of brevity. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented in accordance with any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

The present disclosure relates to "non-combustible" aerosol delivery systems. A "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is a system that does not burn or burn the aerosolizable material constituents (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system to facilitate delivery of the aerosol to the user. Further, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" and related terms such as "vaporize", "volatilize" and "aerosolize" are generally used interchangeably. can be used.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, which is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), contains a Note that the presence of nicotine in is not a requirement. Throughout the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" or "electronic cigarette" may be used interchangeably with aerosol (vapor) delivery systems.

Typically, a non-combustible aerosol delivery system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol delivery device and articles (sometimes referred to as consumables) for use with the non-combustible aerosol delivery device. However, it is believed that an article that itself provides means for powering an aerosol-generating component can itself form a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

The article is intended to be consumed, in part or in whole, during use by the user. The article may include the aerosolizable material or may consist solely of the aerosolizable material. The article may include one or more other elements, such as a filter or an aerosol modifier (e.g., a component to flavor or otherwise alter the properties of the aerosol passing through or over the aerosol modifier). .

Non-combustible aerosol delivery systems often, but not always, comprise modular assemblies containing both reusable aerosol delivery devices and replaceable items. In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a power source and a controller (or control circuit). The power source may be, for example, a power source such as a battery or rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device may also comprise an aerosol generating component. However, in other embodiments, the article may partially or completely comprise the aerosol-generating component.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating component is a heater that can interact with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatile components from the aerosolizable material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, an aerosol-generating component can generate an aerosol from an aerosolizable material without heating. For example, the aerosol-generating component can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without the application of heat, e.g., by one or more of vibratory, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means. can.

In some embodiments, the heater may comprise one or more electrical resistance heaters including, for example, one or more Nichrome resistance heater(s) and/or one or more ceramic heater(s). . The one or more heaters comprise one or more induction heaters comprising structures comprising one or more susceptors into which, in use, an article comprising an aerosolizable material can be inserted or otherwise placed into a chamber. may Alternatively or additionally, one or more susceptors may be provided with the aerosolizable material. Other heater arrangements may also be used.

Articles for use with non-combustible aerosol delivery devices generally comprise an aerosolizable material. An aerosolizable material, which may also be referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material, is, for example, a material that can generate an aerosol when heated, irradiated, or otherwise energized. be. The aerosolizable material may, for example, be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not contain nicotine and/or flavorants. In the disclosure below, aerosolizable materials are described as including "amorphous solids," which may alternatively be referred to as "monolithic solids" (ie, non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. Amorphous solids are solid materials that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within them. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may comprise, for example, from about 50%, 60%, or 70% to about 90%, 95%, or 100% by weight amorphous solids. . However, it should be recognized that the principles of the present disclosure can be applied to other aerosolizable materials such as tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, liquids such as e-liquids.

Optionally, the aerosolizable material may include any one or more of an active ingredient, a carrier ingredient, a fragrance, and one or more other functional ingredients.

As used herein, active ingredients may be physiologically active materials, materials intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. Active ingredients may be selected from, for example, nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychotropics. The active ingredient may be naturally occurring or synthetically derived. Active ingredients may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins (such as B6 or B12 or C), melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active ingredient may comprise one or more components, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or another botanical material. As described herein, the active ingredient may comprise one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material or amorphous solid is cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). acid), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) : tetrahydrocannabivarin (CBDV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromvarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), and : cannabielsoin), cannabicitran (CBT), comprising one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of

The aerosolizable material or amorphous solid may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Aerosolizable materials or amorphous solids may include cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosolizable materials or amorphous solids may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosolizable materials or amorphous solids may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

In some embodiments the active ingredient comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, active ingredients include caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

As described herein, the active ingredient may comprise or be derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "plant material" includes, but is not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, shells, skins, etc. including any plant-derived material, including Alternatively, the material may contain active compounds naturally occurring in plant material or obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, powders, dusts, crushed particles, granules, pellets, pieces, strips, sheets, and the like. Examples of plant materials are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate. , orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (such as green or black tea), thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary. , saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, perilla, turmeric, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, calvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. Mint is of the following mint varieties: Mentha Arventis, Grapefruit mint (Mentha c.v.), Egyptian mint (Mentha niliaca), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Lime mint (Mentha piperita citrata c.v.). , chocolate mint (Mentha piperita c.v.), curly mint (Mentha spicata crispa), wild mint (Mentha cardifolia), horse mint (Mentha longifolia), pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens variegata), pennyroyal mint (Mentha pulegium), It may be selected from English spearmint (Mentha spicata c.v.), and apple mint (Mentha suaveolens).

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, wherein the botanical material is tobacco.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, wherein the botanical materials include eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises or is derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, wherein the botanical materials are selected from rooibos and fennel. .

In certain embodiments, the aerosolizable material or amorphous solid comprises a gelling agent. The gelling agent may comprise one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, gum acacia, and mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, or gum acacia (or one of them). more than one).

In some embodiments, the gelling agent is one including, but not limited to, agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginates, and combinations thereof. (or are those non-cellulose gelling agents). In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulosic gelling agent is alginate or agar.

The aerosolizable material or amorphous solid may contain an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of alpha-hydroxy acids, carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, and ketoacids. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an α-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid is succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvate. It may be at least one of acids.

Suitably the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

In certain embodiments, the aerosolizable material or amorphous solid comprises a gelling agent, including cellulosic gelling agents and/or non-cellulosic gelling agents, an active agent, and an acid.

In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material includes perfume (or flavorant).

As used herein, the terms "fragrant" and "flavourant" refer to products intended for adult consumers that have a desired taste, odor, or other texture when permitted by local regulations. Refers to materials that can be used to create sensations. They may be naturally occurring flavoring materials, botanical materials, extracts of botanical materials, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaves, chamomile). , fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spice, Asian spice, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, Clementine, Lemon, Lime, Tropical Fruit, Papaya, Rhubarb, Grape, Durian, Dragon Fruit, Cucumber, Blueberry, Mulberry, Citrus, Drambuie, Bourbon, Scotch, Whiskey, Gin, Tequila, Rum, Spearmint, Peppermint, Lavender, Aloe Vera, Cardamom, Celery, Cascarilla, Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Bergamot, Geranium, Khat, Naswar, Betel, Shisha, Pine, Honey Essence, Rose Oil, Vanilla, Lemon. Derived from any variety of oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint Mint oil, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange peel, rose, tea (such as green or black tea), thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, Bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, perilla, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, carvi, verbena , tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine , cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as other additives such as chaco chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as liquids (such as oils), solids (such as powders), or gases.

In some embodiments, flavorants include menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavorant comprises cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or redberry flavoring ingredients. In some embodiments, the perfume comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavorant comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavorant comprises flavor components extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavorant induces a perceived somatosensory sensation, usually chemically induced by stimulating the 5th cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the olfactory or gustatory nerves. Sensate agents may be included for the purpose of achieving, and these may include agents that provide heating, cooling, stinging, and numbing effects. A suitable thermal effect agent may be, but not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3. good.

Carrier components may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the carrier component is glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, suberic acid. One or more of diethyl, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

In some embodiments, the carrier component is one or more polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, etc.). acetate, or glycerol triacetate), and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate).

The one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and/or antioxidants.

The aerosolizable material may be present on or within a carrier support (or carrier component) to form a substrate. The carrier support may be or include, for example, paper, card, cardboard, cardboard, recycled aerosolizable material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy.

In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise an aerosolizable material or a region for receiving an aerosolizable material. In some embodiments, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may comprise a mouthpiece, or alternatively, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device has a mouthpiece in communication with the article. You may prepare. The area for receiving the aerosolizable material may be a containment area for containing the aerosolizable material. For example, this storage area may be a reservoir.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 1 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery system 1 comprises two main components, an aerosol delivery device 2 and an aerosol-generating product 4 .

The aerosol delivery device 2 includes an outer housing 21, a power supply 22, a control circuit 23, a plurality of aerosol generating components 24, a receptacle 25, a mouthpiece end 26, an air inlet 27, an air outlet 28, a touch sensing panel 29, a suction sensor. 30 and an end-of-use indicator 31 .

Outer housing 21 may be formed from any suitable material, such as a plastic material. Outer housing 21 is configured such that power source 22 , control circuitry 23 , aerosol-generating component 24 , receiver 25 , and suction sensor 30 are positioned within outer housing 21 . Outer housing 21 also defines an air inlet 27 and an air outlet 28, which are described in more detail below. A touch sensitive panel 29 and an end of use indicator are located outside the outer housing 21 .

Outer housing 21 further includes mouthpiece end 26 . Outer housing 21 and tip end 26 are formed as a single component (ie, tip end 26 forms part of outer housing 21). Mouthpiece end 26 is defined as an area of outer housing 21 that includes an air outlet 28 such that a user can comfortably place their lips around mouthend 26 to engage air outlet 28 . Shape. In FIG. 1, the thickness of outer housing 21 tapers toward air outlet 28 to provide a relatively thin portion of device 2 that can be more easily accommodated by a user's lips. However, in other embodiments, mouthpiece end 26 may be a separate component from outer housing 21 but a removable component that can be coupled to outer housing 21 for cleaning and cleaning. /or may be removed for replacement with another mouthpiece end 26;

Power supply 22 is configured to supply operating power to aerosol delivery device 2 . Power source 22 may be any suitable power source, such as a battery. For example, power source 22 may comprise a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion battery. Power source 22 may be removable or may form an integral part of aerosol delivery device 2 . In some implementations, power supply 22 connects device 2 to an external power source (mains power supply) via an associated connection port, such as a USB port (not shown), or via a suitable wireless receiver (not shown). etc.).

Control circuitry 23 is suitably configured/programmed to control operation of the aerosol delivery device to provide specific operational functions of aerosol delivery device 2 . The control circuit 23 may be considered as logically comprising various subunits/circuitry elements related to various aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery device. For example, control circuit 23 may comprise logic subunits for controlling recharging of power source 22 . In addition to this, the control circuit 23 may comprise logic subunits for communication to facilitate data transfer to or from the device 2, for example. However, the primary function of control circuit 23 is to control the aerosolization of the aerosol-generating material, as explained in more detail below. The control circuit 23 functions, for example, by one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s) and/or one or more suitably configured computer(s) configured to provide the desired functions. It will be appreciated that the application specific integrated circuit(s)/circuit(s)/chip(s)/chipset(s) described can be used and provided in a variety of different ways. Control circuitry 23 may be connected to power supply 23 and configured to receive power from power supply 22 and distribute or control power supply to other components of aerosol delivery device 2 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the aerosol-delivery device 2 further comprises a receiver 25 arranged to receive the aerosol-generating product 4 .

The aerosol-generating article 4 comprises a carrier component 42 and an aerosol-generating material 44 . The aerosol-generating article 4 is shown in more detail in Figures 2A-2C. 2A is a top view of the article 4, FIG. 2B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of the article 4, and FIG. 2C is a side view along the width axis of the article 4. be.

The article 4 comprises a carrier component 42 formed of card in this embodiment. Carrier component 42 forms the bulk of article 4 and serves as a base upon which aerosol-generating material 44 is placed.

Carrier component 42 is generally cuboid in shape having a length l, a width w, and a thickness _tc , as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. As a specific example, the carrier component 42 may have a length of 30-80 mm, a width of 7-25 mm, and a thickness of 0.2-1 mm. However, it should be appreciated that the above are exemplary dimensions for the carrier component 42 and that in other embodiments the carrier component 42 may have different dimensions, if desired. In some embodiments, the carrier component 42 has one or more longitudinal and/or lateral extensions of the carrier component 42 to help facilitate handling of the article 4 by a user. may be provided with protrusions of

In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, article 4 comprises a plurality of discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44 disposed on the surface of carrier component 42 . More specifically, article 4 comprises six discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44, labeled 44a-44f, arranged in a 2x3 array. However, in other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of individual portions may be provided and/or the portions may be arranged in a different array (e.g., a 1 x 6 array). should be recognized. In the illustrated example, aerosol-generating material 44 is disposed at discrete discrete locations on a single surface of component carrier 42 . Although individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 are shown having circular footprints, individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 may have any other footprint, such as square or rectangular, as desired. You should recognize that you get The discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44 have a diameter d and a thickness t _a as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. The thickness t _a may take any suitable value, for example the thickness t _a may be in the range of 50 μm to 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness t _a is about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or about 60 μm to about 90 μm, suitably about 77 μm. In other embodiments, the thickness t _a may be greater than 200 μm, such as from about 50 μm to about 400 μm, or to about 1 mm, or to about 1.5 mm.

The discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are separated from each other such that each discrete portion can be individually/selectively energized (eg, heated) to generate an aerosol. In some embodiments, these portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 may have a mass of 20 mg or less, such that the amount of material aerosolized by a given aerosol-generating product 24 at any one time is quantity is relatively small. For example, a portion may have a mass of 20 mg or less, or 10 mg or less, or 5 mg or less. Of course, it should be recognized that the total mass of article 4 may be greater than 20 mg.

In the described embodiment, aerosol-generating material 44 is an amorphous solid. In general, amorphous solids may include a gelling agent (sometimes called a binder) and an aerosol-forming agent (eg, which may include glycerol). Optionally, the aerosol-generating material may include one or more of active agents (which may include tobacco extract), flavorants, acids, and fillers. Other ingredients may also be present if desired. Suitable actives, flavorants, acids and fillers are described above in connection with the aerosolizable material.

Aerosol-forming agents thus include glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, One or more of triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent is one or more polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate), and/or aliphatic esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate).

The gelling agent may comprise one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate. (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, or gum acacia (or one of them). more than one).

In some embodiments, the gelling agent is one including, but not limited to, agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginates, and combinations thereof. (or are those non-cellulose gelling agents). In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulosic gelling agent is alginate or agar.

The aerosol-generating material may contain an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of alpha-hydroxy acids, carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, and ketoacids. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an α-keto acid.

In some such embodiments, the acid is succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvate. It may be at least one of acids.

Suitably the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

In certain embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises a gelling agent, including cellulosic gelling agents and/or non-cellulosic gelling agents, an active agent, and an acid.

In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol ( CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), Cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM) and one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabinoid (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT).

The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Aerosol-generating materials may include cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosol-generating materials may include nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

Aerosol-generating materials may include nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Amorphous solid aerosolizable materials offer several advantages over other types of aerosolizable materials commonly found in some electronic aerosol delivery devices. For example, compared to electronic aerosol delivery devices that aerosolize liquid aerosolizable materials, the likelihood that amorphous solids will leak or otherwise flow from where they are stored is greatly reduced. This means that the aerosol delivery device or article can be made less expensive as these components do not necessarily have to use the same liquid tight seals or the like.

Compared to an electronic aerosol delivery device that aerosolizes a solid aerosolizable material, such as tobacco, a relatively small mass of amorphous solid material is aerosolized to produce a comparable amount of aerosol (or a comparable amount of components in the aerosol). , for example to provide nicotine). This is due in part to the fact that amorphous solids can be prepared to be free of inappropriate components sometimes found in other solid aerosolizable materials (e.g. cellulosic materials in tobacco). . For example, in some embodiments, the mass of a portion of amorphous solid is 20 mg or less, or 10 mg or less, or 5 mg or less. Accordingly, the aerosol delivery device may supply relatively little power to the aerosol-generating components and/or the aerosol-generating components may be relatively small to generate a similar aerosol; This therefore means that the energy requirements for the aerosol delivery device can be lowered.

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises tobacco extract. In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (by Dry Weight Basis (DWB)): about 1% to about 60%, or about 10% to about 30%, or about 15% to about 25% by weight of a gelling agent (preferably comprising an alginate); % to about 60%, or about 40% to 55%, or about 45% to about 50% tobacco extract, about 5% to about 60%, or about 20% an aerosol forming agent (preferably including glycerol) in an amount of to about 40% by weight, or from about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB); The tobacco extract may be from a single cultivar of tobacco or may be a blend of extracts from different cultivars of tobacco. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "tobacco amorphous solids" and are sometimes designed to provide a tobacco-like experience when aerosolized.

In one embodiment, the amorphous solids comprise about 20% by weight alginate gelling agent, about 48% by weight Virginia tobacco extract, and about 32% by weight glycerol (DWB).

The amorphous solids of these embodiments may have any suitable moisture content. For example, amorphous solids may have a moisture content of about 5% to about 15%, or about 7% to about 13%, or about 10% by weight.

For any of these embodiments, the amorphous solid preferably has _a thickness ta of about 50 μm to about 200 μm, or about 50 μm to about 100 μm, or about 60 μm to about 90 μm, and a thickness t of about 77 μm. It is preferred to have _a .

In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5-60% gelling agent and 5-80% aerosol forming agent. Such amorphous solids may be free of fragrances, acids and actives. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "aerosol-forming agent-rich" or "aerosol-forming agent-amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an aerosol-forming agent-rich aerosol-forming material that is part of an aerosol-forming material, which, as the name suggests, is designed to deliver an aerosol-forming agent when aerosolized. part of the aerosol-generating material used.

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol-forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40% by weight, or about 25% to about 35% by weight (DWB).

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solids are, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5-60% gelling agent, 5-80% aerosol forming agent, and 1-60% % fragrance. Such amorphous solids contain fragrances but may not contain actives or acids. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "flavor rich" or "flavor amorphous solids". More generally, this is an example of a flavorant-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol-generating material designed to deliver a flavorant when aerosolized. .

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% (DWB), about 30% to about 60%, or about 40% to 55% by weight; or perfume in an amount of about 45% to about 50% by weight.

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solids are, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5 to 60 weight percent gelling agent, 5 to 80 weight percent aerosol forming agent, and 5 to 60 weight percent % of at least one active substance. Such amorphous solids contain actives, but may not contain perfumes or acids. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "active substance rich" or "active substance amorphous solids". For example, in one embodiment, the active agent may be nicotine, and thus such amorphous solids containing nicotine may be referred to as "nicotine amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an active substance-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol-generating material designed to deliver an active substance when aerosolized. .

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% (DWB), about 30% to about 60%, or about 40% to 55% by weight; or an active agent in an amount of about 45% to about 50% by weight.

In some other embodiments, the amorphous solids are, by weight calculated on a dry weight basis, 0.5 to 60% gelling agent, 5 to 80% aerosol forming agent, and 0.1 to It may contain 10% by weight acid. Such amorphous solids contain acids, but may not contain actives or flavors. Such amorphous solids are sometimes referred to as "acid-rich" or "acid-amorphous solids." More generally, this is an example of an acid-rich aerosol-generating material, which, as the name suggests, is a portion of an aerosol-generating material designed to deliver acid when aerosolized.

In these embodiments, the amorphous solid may have the following components (DWB). Gelling agent in an amount from about 5% to about 40%, or from about 10% to 30%, or from about 15% to about 25%, from about 10% to about 50%, or an aerosol-forming agent in an amount of about 20% to about 40%, or about 25% to about 35% (DWB), about 0.1% to about 8%, or about 0.5% to Acid in an amount of 7% by weight, or from about 1% to about 5%, or from about 1% to about 3% by weight.

In some embodiments, amorphous solids may include colorants. Adding a colorant can change the appearance of the amorphous solid. The presence of colorants in amorphous solids can enhance the appearance of amorphous solids and aerosol-generating materials. By adding a colorant to the amorphous solid, the amorphous solid can match the color of other components of the aerosol-generating material or of the article containing the amorphous solid.

In some embodiments, various colorants may be used depending on the desired color of the amorphous solid. The color of the amorphous solid can be white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black, for example. Other colors are also conceivable. Natural or synthetic coloring agents such as natural or synthetic dyes, food coloring agents, and pharmaceutical coloring agents may be used. In certain embodiments, the coloring agent is caramel, which can give the amorphous solid a brown appearance. In such embodiments, the color of the amorphous solids may resemble the color of other components (such as tobacco material) in the aerosol-generating material containing the amorphous solids. In some embodiments, adding a coloring agent to the amorphous solid renders it visually indistinguishable from other components in the aerosol-generating material.

In some embodiments, the colorant may be incorporated during the formation of the amorphous solid (e.g., when forming a slurry containing the material that forms the amorphous solid) or after its formation (e.g., the amorphous solid may be applied to amorphous solids) by spraying onto the surface.

Article 4 may comprise multiple portions of aerosol-generating material, all formed from the same aerosol-generating material (eg, one of the amorphous solids described above). Alternatively, article 4 may include multiple portions of aerosol-generating material 44, at least two portions of which are formed from different aerosol-generating materials (e.g., one of the amorphous solids described above).

Receptacle 25 is sized to removably receive article 4 . Although not shown, the device 2 may include a hinged door or removable portion of the outer housing 21 to allow access to the receptacle 25 so that the user can access the receptacle 25. The article 4 can be inserted into and/or removed from the receptacle 25 . A hinged door or removable portion of outer housing 21 may also function to retain item 4 within receptacle 25 when closed. When the aerosol-generating product 4 is exhausted, or when the user simply wishes to switch to a different aerosol-generating product 4, the aerosol-generating product 4 is removed from the aerosol-delivery device 2 and a replacement aerosol-generating product 4 is placed in its place. 4 can be placed in the receiving portion 25 . Alternatively, device 2 may include a permanent opening that communicates with receptacle 25 and allows article 4 to be inserted into receptacle 25 . In such embodiments, a retention mechanism may be provided for retaining the item 4 within the receptacle 25 of the device 2 .

As seen in FIG. 1, the device 2 comprises several aerosol-generating components 24 . In the described embodiment, the aerosol-generating component 24 is a heating element 24, more specifically a resistive heating element 24. FIG. Resistive heating element 24 receives electrical current and converts the electrical energy into heat. Resistive heating element 24 may be formed from or include any suitable resistive heating material, such as Nichrome (Ni20Cr80), that produces heat when receiving an electrical current. In one embodiment, the heating element 24 may comprise an electrically insulating substrate with resistive paths disposed thereon.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of the aerosol delivery device 2 showing the arrangement of the heating element 24 in more detail. In FIGS. 1 and 3 the heating element 24 is arranged such that the surface of the heating element 24 forms part of the surface of the receiver 25 . That is, the outer surface of the heating element 24 is flush with the inner surface of the receiver. More specifically, the outer surface of the heating element 24 that is flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25 is heated (i.e., its temperature increases) when the heating element 24 is passed with electrical current. is the surface.

Heating elements 24 are arranged such that each heating element 24 is aligned with a corresponding discrete portion of aerosol-generating material 44 when article 4 is received in receptacle 25 . Thus, in this example, the six heating elements 24 are arranged in a 2×3 array that roughly corresponds to the 2×3 array arrangement of the six discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. It is However, as discussed above, the number of heating elements 24 may vary in different implementations, eg, there may be 8, 10, 12, 14, etc. heating elements 24 . In some embodiments, the number of heating elements 24 is 6 or more, but 20 or less.

More particularly, the heating elements 24 are labeled 24a-24f in FIG. It should be understood that they are arranged in alignment with corresponding portions of 44 . Accordingly, each heating element 24 can be individually actuated to heat a corresponding portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 .

Although the heating element 24 is shown flush with the inner surface of the receptacle 25 , in other embodiments the heating element 24 may protrude into the receptacle 25 . In either case, the article 4 contacts the surface of the heating element 24 when residing within the receptacle 25 so that the heat generated by the heating element 24 passes through the carrier component 42 to form an aerosol-forming material. Conducted to material 44 .

In some embodiments, to improve heat transfer efficiency, the receiver may comprise a component that applies a force to the surface of the carrier component 42 to press the carrier component 42 against the heater element 24; Thus, increasing the efficiency of heat transfer by conduction to the aerosol-generating material 44 . Additionally or alternatively, the heater element 24 may be configured to move toward/away from the article 4 and the carrier component 42 without the aerosol-generating material 44 . It may be pressed against the surface.

In use, the device 2 (more specifically the control circuit 23) is configured to power the heating element 24 in response to user input. Generally, control circuitry 23 is configured to selectively apply electrical power to heating elements 24 to heat corresponding portions of aerosol-generating material 44 to generate an aerosol. When a user inhales on device 2 (i.e., on mouth end 26 ), air is drawn into device 2 through air inlet 27 and into receptacle 25 where aerosol-generating material 44 is drawn into device 2 . It mixes with the aerosol produced by heating and is then drawn through the air outlet 28 to the user's mouth. That is, the aerosol is delivered to the user through mouthpiece end 26 and air outlet 28 .

Device 2 of FIG. 1 includes touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 . The touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 together function as a mechanism for receiving user input to trigger the production of aerosol and are therefore more broadly referred to as user input mechanisms. The received user input can be said to indicate that the user wishes to generate an aerosol.

The touch sensing panel 29 may be a capacitive touch sensor, which a user of the device 2 may operate by placing a finger or another suitable conductive object (eg a stylus) on the touch sensing panel. can. In the described embodiment, the touch sensitive panel includes areas that can be pressed by the user to initiate aerosol generation. Control circuitry 23 is configured to receive signals from touch-sensitive panel 29 and use the signals to determine whether the user is pressing (ie, actuating) this area of touch-sensitive panel 29 . can do. When control circuit 23 receives this signal, control circuit 23 is configured to supply power from power source 22 to one or more of heating elements 24 . Power may be supplied for a predetermined period of time (eg, 3 seconds) from the moment contact is detected, or may be supplied corresponding to the length of time contact is detected. In other embodiments, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be replaced with buttons or the like that can be actuated by the user.

Suction sensor 30 may be a pressure sensor, microphone, or the like configured to detect a pressure drop or air flow caused by a user sucking on device 2 . The suction sensor 30 is placed in fluid communication with the airflow path (ie, in fluid communication with the airflow path between the inlet 27 and the outlet 28). In a manner similar to that described above, the control circuit 23 may be configured to receive a signal from the inhalation sensor and use this signal to determine if the user is inhaling with the aerosol delivery system 1 . When control circuit 23 receives this signal, control circuit 23 is configured to supply power from power source 22 to one or more of heating elements 24 . Power may be supplied for a predetermined period of time (eg, 3 seconds) from the moment suction is detected, or may be supplied corresponding to the length of time suction is detected.

In the illustrated example, both the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 detect that the user wishes to initiate the generation of an aerosol for inhalation. Control circuitry 23 may be configured to power heating element 24 only when signals from both touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 are detected. This can help prevent unintentional activation of the heating element 24 from accidental activation of one of the user input mechanisms. However, in other embodiments the aerosol delivery system 1 may have only one of the contact sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30 .

These aspects of the operation of the aerosol delivery system 1 (i.e., puff detection and contact detection) are per se according to established techniques (e.g., using conventional suction sensors and suction sensor signal processing techniques, as well as conventional touch detection). sensor and touch sensor signal processing techniques).

In some embodiments, in response to detecting signals from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuit 23 sequentially powers each of the individual heating elements 24. configured to

More specifically, control circuit 23 sequentially powers each of the individual heating elements 23 in response to the order of detection of signals received from either or both of touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 . configured as For example, the control circuit 23 powers a first heating element 24 of the plurality of heating elements 24 when the signal is first detected (eg, from when the device 2 is first switched on). may be configured to When the signal ceases, or in response to the elapse of a predetermined time since the signal was detected, control circuit 23 determines that first heating element 24 has been activated (and thus the response of aerosol-generating material 44). record that the individual parts that Control circuit 23 determines to activate second heating element 24 in response to receiving the next signal from either or both of touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 . Thus, when control circuit 23 receives a signal from either or both of touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 , control circuit 23 activates second heating element 24 . This process is repeated for the remaining heating elements 24 so that all heating elements 24 are activated sequentially.

Effectively, this operation means that for each inhalation a different portion of the discrete portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 is heated and an aerosol is generated therefrom. In other words, a single discrete portion of the aerosol-generating material is heated with each user inhalation.

In other embodiments, control circuit 23 determines that second heating element 24 should be activated in response to the next signal from either or both of touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30. , the first heating element 24 is actuated multiple times (e.g., twice), or each of the plurality of heating elements 24 is actuated once, and when all heating elements 24 have been actuated once, the following Upon detection of the signal, the heating elements may be configured to sequentially activate the heating elements a second time.

Such sequential actuation is sometimes referred to as a "sequential mode of actuation", which is primarily designed to deliver a consistent aerosol with each inhalation (e.g., the total aerosol produced , or total components delivered). Thus, this mode may be most effective when each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 of aerosol-generating article 4 is substantially identical, ie, portions 44a-44f are formed from the same material.

In some other embodiments, in response to detecting signals from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30, the control circuit 23 powers one or more of the heating elements 24 simultaneously. configured to

In such embodiments, the control circuit 23 may be configured to power selected ones of the heating elements 24 corresponding to the predetermined configuration. A predetermined configuration may be a configuration selected or determined by a user. For example, the touch sensitive panel 29 allows the user to individually select which of the heating elements 24 to activate when the control circuit 23 receives a signal from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 and the suction sensor 30. A selectable area may be provided. In some embodiments, the user can also set the power level for each heating element 24 to be supplied to the heating element 24 in response to receiving a signal.

FIG. 4 is a top view of touch sensitive panel 29 according to such an embodiment. FIG. 4 schematically shows the outer housing 21 and touch sensitive panel 29 as previously described. The touch sensitive panel 29 has six areas 29a-29f corresponding to each of the six heating elements 24 and, as mentioned above, indicating that the user wishes to initiate inhalation or generate an aerosol. An area 29g corresponding to the area for indication is provided. Each of the six areas 29a-29f corresponds to a touch sensitive area that a user can touch to control power delivery to each of the six corresponding heating elements 24. As shown in FIG. In the described embodiment, each heating element 24 can be in multiple states, e.g., an off state in which the heating element 24 is not powered, a low power state in which the heating element 24 is powered at a first level, and a low power state. Heating element 24 may have a high power state in which a second level of power is supplied that is greater than the first level of power. However, fewer or more states may be available for heating element 24 in other embodiments. For example, each heating element 24 may have an OFF state, in which the heating element 24 is not powered, and an ON state, in which the heating element 24 is powered.

Thus, the user can determine which heating element 24 (and subsequently which portion of the aerosol-generating material 44) to heat (and, optionally, which portion of the aerosol-generating material 44) by interacting with the touch-sensitive panel 29 prior to generating an aerosol. Specifically, how much to heat them) can be set. For example, the user may tap regions 29a-29f repeatedly to cycle through different states (eg, off, low power, high power, off, etc.). Alternatively, the user may press and hold regions 29a-29f to cycle through different states. In this case, the pressed time determines the state.

Touch sensitive panel 29 may include one or more indicators for each of regions 29a-29f that indicate in which state heating element 24 is currently located. For example, the touch sensitive panel may comprise one or more LEDs or similar lighting elements, the intensity of the LEDs indicating the current state of the heating element 24 . Alternatively, colored LEDs or similar lighting elements may be provided, the color indicating the current state. Alternatively, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be a display element that displays the current state of the heating element 24 (eg, under the transparent touch sensitive panel 29 or areas 29a-29f of the touch sensitive panel 29). may be provided adjacent to ).

Once the user has set the configuration of the heating element 24, in response to detection of signals from either or both of the touch sensitive panel 29 (more specifically region 29g of the touch sensitive panel 29) and the suction sensor 30, the control A circuit 23 is configured to power selected heating elements 24 according to a preset configuration.

Accordingly, such simultaneous activation of the heating elements 24 is sometimes referred to as a "simultaneous activation mode," which primarily allows the user to customize their experience from session to session, or even puff to puff. It is designed to deliver a customizable aerosol from a given article 4 with the intention of allowing Therefore, this mode may be most effective when portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 of the aerosol-generating article 4 are different from each other. For example, portions 44a and 44b are made of one material and portions 44c and 44d are made of a different material. Thus, in this mode of operation, the user can choose which portion to aerosolize at any given moment, and thus which combination of aerosols to deliver.

In both simultaneous and sequential modes of operation, the control circuit 23 may, for example, indicate when each of the heating elements 24 has been sequentially activated a predetermined number of times, or when a given heating element 24 has been activated a predetermined number of times. It may be configured to generate a warning signal indicating the end of use of the article 4 when activated a number of times and/or for a given cumulative activation time and/or a given cumulative activation power. In Figure 1, the device 2 includes an end-of-use indicator 31, which in this embodiment is an LED. However, in other embodiments the end-of-use indicator 31 may comprise any mechanism capable of giving a warning signal to the user, i.e. the end-of-use indicator 31 is an optical element delivering an optical signal. , a sound generator that delivers audio signals, and/or a vibrator that delivers tactile signals. In some implementations, the display 31 may be combined with a touch-sensitive panel (eg, if the touch-sensitive panel includes a display element) or may be otherwise provided. The device 2 can prevent subsequent operation of the device 2 when the warning signal is output. When the user changes the article 4 and/or turns off the warning signal via manual means such as a button (not shown), the warning signal can be turned off and the control circuit 23 is reset.

More particularly, in embodiments in which a sequential mode of operation is used, control circuit 23 counts the number of times signals from either or both touch sensitive panel 29 and suction sensor 30 are received during use, and the number of times is Upon reaching a predetermined number, it may be determined that the article 4 has reached the end of its life. For example, for an article 4 comprising six discrete portions of aerosol-generating material 44, the predetermined number may be 6, 12, 18, etc., depending on the implementation at hand.

In embodiments in which a simultaneous mode of operation is used, control circuitry 23 may be configured to count the number of times one or each of the individual portions of aerosol-generating material 44 is heated. For example, the control circuit 23 can count how many times the nicotine-containing portion has been heated and determine the end of life of the article 4 when it reaches a predetermined number. Alternatively, control circuit 23 may be configured to count separately for each individual portion of aerosol-generating material 44 when that portion is heated. Each portion may have the same or a different predetermined number of times, and when any one of the times for each portion of aerosol-generating material reaches the predetermined number, control circuit 23 indicates the end of life of article 4 . determine the end of

In any of the embodiments, the control circuit 23 may also factor in the length of time the portion of the aerosol-generating material was heated and/or the temperature to which the portion of the aerosol-generating material was heated. In this regard, rather than counting individual actuations, control circuitry 23 may be configured to calculate a cumulative parameter indicative of the state of heating experienced by each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 . This parameter can be, for example, the accumulated time, and the temperature to the material is used to adjust the amount of time added to the accumulated time. For example, a portion heated to 200° C. for 3 seconds may contribute 3 seconds to the cumulative time, while a portion heated to 250° C. for 3 seconds may contribute 4.5 seconds to the cumulative time.

The above techniques for determining the end of life of an item 4 should not be understood as an exhaustive list of methods for determining the end of life of an item 4, in fact any other suitable method may be used. , may be used in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

In the embodiment of the aerosol delivery system 1 described above, multiple (discrete) portions of aerosol-generating material 44 are provided that can be selectively aerosolized using the aerosol-generating component 24 . Such an aerosol delivery system 1 offers advantages over other systems designed to heat larger sized materials. In particular, for a given inhalation, only a selected portion(s) of the aerosol-generating material is aerosolized resulting in an overall more energy efficient system.

With heating systems, several parameters affect the overall effectiveness of the system in delivering a sufficient amount of aerosol to the user per puff. On the one hand, the thickness of the aerosol-generating material is important as it affects how quickly the aerosol-generating material reaches operating temperature (and then produces an aerosol). This is important for several reasons, but is more efficient in the energy from the power supply 22, as the heating element may not have to operate as long as it would to heat a thicker portion of the material. can lead to misuse. On the other hand, the total mass of aerosol-generating material that is heated affects the total amount of aerosol that can be produced and subsequently delivered to the user. Additionally, the temperature to which the aerosol-generating material is heated can also affect both how quickly the aerosol-generating material reaches operating temperature and the amount of aerosol produced.

Amorphous solids (such as those described above) are particularly suitable for the above applications. Part of the reason is that amorphous solids are formed from selected constituents/ingredients and therefore a relatively high proportion of the mass appears to be useful (or deliverable) ingredients (e.g. nicotine and glycerol). This is because it can be designed to Therefore, amorphous solids can generate a relatively high proportion of aerosol from a given mass compared to some other aerosol-generating materials (e.g., tobacco), which is the relative This means that a relatively small portion can output an equivalent amount of aerosol. In addition, amorphous solids do not flow easily (if at all), which means that, for example, problems with leakage when using liquid aerosol-generating materials are largely mitigated.

However, in accordance with the present disclosure, the inventors have developed an aerosol-generating component 24 (such as a heating element 24) designed to heat different portions of a portion of the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol with each puff. We have found that devices 2 with an array can, in some instances, produce discrepancies in the amount of aerosol delivered to the user per puff even though the heating conditions are approximately the same.

This is because portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are provided at different spatial distances relative to the opening 28 of the mouthpiece 26 so that the aerosol is initially It is believed to be due in part to the fact that the distance the aerosol must travel when formed may vary.

FIG. 5 replicates FIG. 3, but additionally includes two arrows labeled D1 and D2. D1 extends from heating element 24a to outlet 28 of tip end 26, while D2 extends from heating element 24f to outlet 28. FIG. As should be appreciated, arrows D1 and D2 represent the distance traveled by aerosols generated using respective heating elements 24a and 24f by respective portions of aerosol-generating material 44a and 44f.

In general, hot aerosols cool and condense as they travel. Therefore, the longer the aerosol must travel, the more likely it is to cool and condense. Condensate may also deposit on surfaces it contacts during movement, such as, for example, the surface of receiver 25 in the example of FIG. The greater the distance traveled by the aerosol, the greater the opportunity for the aerosol to contact surfaces, and the greater the particle size as the aerosol travels and cools, further increasing the likelihood of deposition. get higher In FIG. 5 it can be seen that D1 is significantly longer than D2, so, for example, the aerosol generated by portion 44a at heating element 24a is compared to the aerosol generated by portion 44f at heating element 24f in device 2. It is likely that the aerosol volume/volume will be low when exiting the outlet 28 . Similarly, the aerosol produced by portions 44c and 44d in heating elements 24c and 24d may have less aerosol exiting the outlet than the aerosol produced by portions 44e and 44f in heating elements 24e and 24f. Although it can be higher, it is more likely that the amount of aerosol exiting outlet 28 will be greater compared to the aerosol generated by portions 44a and 44b in heating elements 24a and 24b. This effect can become even more pronounced as the number of heating elements increases (eg, a 2×6 array).

Distances D1 and D2 may be evaluated relative to a common point located at exit 28 . For example, the common point may be the center of the cross-sectional area defined by outlets 28 .

Accordingly, the inventors have presented a device 2 for generating an aerosol from an article 4 comprising a portion of aerosol-generating material 44 . The device comprises a receptacle 25 for receiving an article 4, an outlet 28 fluidly coupled to the receptacle 25, and a portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 when the article 4 is received in the receptacle. at least one aerosol-generating component 24 and an aerosol-generating component 44 configured to perform one or more aerosolization processes (i.e., processes by which an aerosol can be generated from an aerosol-generating material, e.g., heating); and a control circuit for controlling. In addition, control circuit 23 may cause at least one aerosol-generating component 24 to remove an amount from the respective portion of aerosol-generating material 44 based on the distance from outlet 28 to the respective portion of aerosol-generating material 44 . configured to generate an aerosol;

Thus, the amount of aerosol produced from each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 can be set to compensate for aerosol loss due to condensation as the aerosol travels to outlet 28.

In other words, the aerosol-generating component 24 aligns the aerosol-generating material 44 such that a substantially constant amount of aerosol passes through the outlet 28 regardless of the distance from the outlet 28 to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 . Each portion is configured to generate a quantity of aerosol. Therefore, the user can have a more consistent suction experience.

In this regard, the phrase "a more consistent sucking experience" does not preclude, but does not necessarily imply that each puff in a session is the same in taste or proportion of ingredients delivered. should be recognized here.

On the one hand, the article 4 may comprise portions of aerosol-generating material having the same formulation/composition and may be aerosolized according to a "sequential mode" of operation. In this case, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 has a substantially is aerosolized in an amount that depends on the distance from the outlet 28. In this case, each is actuated sequentially so that the amount of aerosol exiting outlet 28 is substantially the same.

On the other hand, if article 4 comprises portions of different aerosol-generating materials, such that the aerosol is customizable as described above, the principles of the present disclosure apply to portions of the same type of aerosol-generating material. . In other words, for a given type of aerosol-generating material (e.g., nicotine-rich amorphous solids), device 2 will produce a consistent aerosol generated from that portion regardless of the distance of that portion from outlet 28. configured to output the amount In these embodiments, the total amount of aerosol may vary (eg, because other portions of the aerosol-generating material are heated at the same time). In other words, the amount of aerosol that contributes to the total aerosol exiting outlet 28 is substantially the same, so delivery from that particular portion is consistent.

The amount of aerosol produced based on the distance from the outlet to the portion of the aerosol-generating material will depend on the length of the distance involved, the type of material, and the target aerosol output. However, in some embodiments, the increase in output aerosol volume may be 50% or less, 40% or less, 30% or less, 20% or less, or 10% or less of the target aerosol volume output.

Referring to FIG. 5, in most instances, control circuit 23 will cause aerosol-generating component 24 to move more away from each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 the farther away from outlet 28 the placement of each portion of aerosol-generating material 44 is. It should be appreciated that it can be configured to generate a large volume of aerosol. Thus, by generating more aerosol from portions of the aerosol-generating material further away from the exit 28, relatively more of the entrained aerosol is more likely to reach the exit 28. In other words, more aerosol is produced to compensate for the loss of aerosol as it travels to the exit.

Additionally or alternatively, depending on the details of system 1 , only a portion of the aerosol-generating material may be aerosolized based on distance from outlet 28 . For example, for a given system 1, distance from outlet 28 has the greatest impact on the portions of the aerosol generation furthest from outlet 28, i.e., portions 44a and 44b (corresponding to heating elements 24a and 24b). Something can be discovered empirically. That is, for example, when aerosolized, portions 44c-44f produce a similar amount of aerosol upon exiting outlet 28 despite differing distances from outlet 28, whereas portions 44a and 44b are aerosolized. , the amount of aerosol generated may be, for example, 20% less as compared to portions 44c-44f. Accordingly, the control circuit 23 may be configured to cause the aerosolization/heating of some portions of the aerosol-generating material according to a common aerosolization/heating profile, while the remaining portions of the aerosol-generating material are aerosolized/heated. The profile is set according to the distance from the outlet 28 to the part.

While it has been discussed that portions farther from the outlet 28 are configured to be more aerosolized or heated to produce more aerosol, the control circuit 23 controls the amount of aerosol-generating material closer to the outlet 28. It should also be appreciated that portions may be configured to generate relatively less aerosol.

It should be recognized that the amount of additionally generated aerosol may not be exactly the same as the amount of aerosol lost. For example, assume 4 mg of aerosol is produced from a portion of the aerosol-generating material and 1 mg of the aerosol is lost as it travels to outlet 28 . Controlling the aerosol-generating components to generate 5 mg of aerosol from the same portion 44 may not necessarily result in 4 mg of aerosol being output at outlet 28 . In practice, the losses incurred are believed to be proportional to the amount of aerosol produced. In the example above, 25% of the 4 mg produced is lost as the aerosol is conveyed to outlet 28 . Therefore, when the amount of aerosol produced is increased to 5 mg, the loss is still 25%, thereby reaching the outlet 28 of 3.75 mg.

More generally, control circuit 23 causes aerosol-generating component 24 to generate an amount of aerosol from a portion of aerosol-generating material 44 based on a function of the distance from outlet 28 to the portion of aerosol-generating material 44. configured to allow

This function can be found empirically by testing several portions of aerosol-generating material 44 and determining how aerosol loss varies with distance from the exit. It should be appreciated that this function may also generally depend on the geometry of the receiver and/or airflow path. As a first approximation, the relationship between generated aerosol and distance can be linear. For example, the additional amount of aerosol generated per mm increase in distance can be set at, for example, 0.01 mg/mm.

In the above embodiments, the aerosol-generating component is a heating element 24 arranged to heat a portion of the aerosol-generating material. When using the heating element 24 to control the amount of aerosol generated from a portion of the aerosol-generating material, the target elevated temperature of the heating element 24 can be adjusted and/or the time to heat the aerosol-generating material. can be adjusted.

That is, in some embodiments, control circuit 23 is configured to set the operating temperature of at least one heating element 24 based on the distance from outlet 28 to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material. The operating temperature may be defined as a target temperature that the heating element 24 is controlled to reach. In other words, the power supplied to the heating element 24 is set such that the power is sufficient to bring the heating element 24 to the target temperature. Increasing the target temperature substantially increases the amount of energy transferred to the aerosol-generating material. However, most implementations impose an upper limit on the target operating temperature. This is because heating the material beyond its upper limit may char or burn the aerosol-generating material 44 .

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, control circuit 23 may vary the heating time of at least one heating element 24 based on the distance from outlet 28 to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material. configured to set The heating time (i.e., the amount of time the heating element is on) may also be set to alter the amount of aerosol produced, whereby longer heating times generally increase the amount of aerosol produced. relatively more. As noted above, the heating element 24 switches when either the signal from the suction sensor 30 or the touch sensitive panel 29 or both ceases, or when a predetermined time has elapsed since the signal was received. may be cut. However, according to the above embodiments, the control unit 23 may, for example, cause the heating element to heat above a predetermined threshold (or alternatively by raising the threshold) or signal The heating element 24 may be operated for a longer period of time by continuing to heat after the power has ceased. This technique may also be combined with adjusting the operating temperature as described above.

Referring to FIG. 5, the heating elements 24 of the described embodiment are arranged in an array (in this case a 2×3 array). Thus, while there are six heating elements, as can be deduced from FIG. Thus, it can be seen that there are three different path lengths between the aerosol-generating portion 44) and the outlet . Two path lengths are indicated by arrows D1 and D2, while the third path length is the distance between heating element 24c (or heating element 24d) and outlet .

Thus, in this embodiment, for a given amount of aerosol output at outlet 28, there are possible three different amounts of aerosol that can be produced by the aerosol-generating material. Thus, in this embodiment, control circuit 23 is configured to operate heating element 24 to generate one of three different levels of aerosol. More specifically, heating elements 24a and 24b can be set to a first level to output a first amount of aerosol, and heating elements 24c and 24d can be set to a second level (second A second quantity of aerosol (less than the one quantity of aerosol) can be output and the heating elements 24e and 24f are set to a third level to produce a third quantity (less than the second quantity). Can output aerosol.

More generally, the heating elements and/or portions of aerosol-generating material may be arranged in an N×M array with respect to a single outlet 28 . where N indicates the number of rows and M indicates the number of columns (when viewing an array such as FIG. 5). Control circuit 23 causes heating element 24 to generate X different amounts of aerosol (i.e., operate at one of X different power levels and/or operate at one of X different heater durations). operated for one duration). Here, X is determined according to the following formula.

加えて、加熱要素２４の動作は、出口から部分４４までの距離を考慮して調節することができることを上で論じたが、エアロゾル生成材料の部分自体も変更してもよい。例えば、いくつかの実施様態では、厚さ及び／又は面積範囲を変更してもよい。厚さは、出口からより遠い部分に対しては厚くしてもよく、その結果、その部分がより高い温度、又はより長い時間加熱されるときに、エアロゾル化される出発材料がより多く存在することになる。同様に、エアロゾル生成材料の部分の面積範囲（及び、潜在的に加熱要素の面積範囲）も、同様の理由で増加させてもよい。したがって、温度の上昇及び加熱時間の増大は、相対的により多くのエアロゾルの出力につながることがある。

Additionally, while it was discussed above that the operation of the heating element 24 can be adjusted to account for the distance of the portion 44 from the outlet, the portion of the aerosol-generating material itself may also vary. For example, thickness and/or area coverage may vary in some embodiments. The thickness may be thicker for parts farther from the outlet, so that there is more starting material to be aerosolized when the part is heated to a higher temperature or for a longer time. It will be. Similarly, the area extent of the portion of the aerosol-generating material (and potentially the area extent of the heating element) may also be increased for similar reasons. Therefore, increasing the temperature and increasing the heating time may lead to relatively more aerosol output.

Thus, in the above, the location of aerosol generation (i.e., at the aerosol-generating portion 44, or at the aerosol-generating portion 44, or A device 2 has been described that can compensate for aerosol lost during movement from a location above it).

The above assumes that there is one common outlet through which the aerosol passes when the user inhales with device 2 . However, the principles of the present disclosure are equally applicable to devices with multiple outlets. In this situation the method is more complex, nevertheless the principle is the same. In most devices, the user draws on one mouth end 26/one outlet 28 at any given time. The control unit can be configured to determine which outlet is currently in use and adjust the degree of aerosolization accordingly.

Additionally, while it has been described above that the mouthpiece 26 forms part of the outer housing 21 and/or is coupled to the outer housing 21, in some embodiments, the mouthpiece 26 may form part of the article 4. This may be particularly true if the article 4 comprises a chamber through which air and/or aerosols can pass, and this chamber contains the aerosol-generating material. In these embodiments, the article 4 is placed within the receptacle 25 and protrudes from the receptacle 25 such that the mouthpiece of the article extends from the aerosol delivery device 2 . In these examples, the receiving part 25 comprises an opening through which the mouthpiece 26 passes. The opening of these embodiments can be referred to as the outlet 28 of the device 2, and thus the control circuit 23 adjusts the heating profile of the portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance from the outlet 28 of the device 2, as described above. can be configured to adjust the

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol delivery system 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Aerosol delivery system 200 includes components generally similar to those described in connection with FIG. For the sake of efficiency, components with like reference numbers should be understood to be substantially the same as their counterparts in FIGS. 1 and 2A-2C unless otherwise specified.

Aerosol delivery device 202 includes outer housing 221, power supply 222, control circuit 223, inductive action coil 224a, receiver 225, mouthpiece end 226, air inlet 227, air outlet 228, touch sensing panel 229, suction sensor 230, and An end-of-use indicator 231 is provided.

The aerosol-generating article 204 comprises a carrier component 242, an aerosol-generating material 244, and a susceptor element 244b, as shown in more detail in Figures 7A-7C. 7A is a top view of article 4, FIG. 7B is an end view along the longitudinal (length) axis of article 204, and FIG. 7C is a side view along the width axis of article 204. be.

6 and 7 depict an aerosol delivery system 200 that uses induction to heat an aerosol-generating material 244 to produce an aerosol for inhalation.

In the described embodiment, the aerosol-generating component 224 is formed from two parts: an inductive action coil 224a located on the aerosol-delivery device 202 and a susceptor 224b located on the aerosol-generating article 204. Thus, in this described embodiment, each aerosol-generating component 224 comprises elements distributed between the aerosol-generating article 204 and the aerosol-delivery device 202 .

Induction heating is the process of heating a conductive object, called a susceptor, by impinging it with a varying magnetic field. This process is described by Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction and Ohm's Law. An induction heater may comprise an electromagnet and a device for passing a varying current, such as alternating current, through the electromagnet. When an electromagnet and an object to be heated are placed in proper relative positions such that the varying magnetic field generated by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated within the object. This object has resistance to the flow of electric current. Accordingly, when such eddy currents are created within the body, they flow against the electrical resistance of the body, thereby heating the body. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistance heating.

A susceptor is a material that can be heated by the impingement of a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The heating material may be an electrically conductive material such that penetrating it with a varying magnetic field inductively heats the heating material. The heating material may be magnetic, such that penetration of a varying magnetic field into it causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The heating material may be both electrically conductive and magnetic so that it can be heated by both heating mechanisms.

Magnetic hysteresis heating is the process of heating an object made of magnetic material by impinging it with a varying magnetic field. Magnetic materials can be thought of as containing many atomic scale magnets or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such material, the magnetic dipoles align along the magnetic field. Thus, when a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field (eg generated by an electromagnet) penetrates a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles will change in response to the applied varying magnetic field. Such reorientation of the magnetic dipoles generates heat within the magnetic material.

When an object is both electrically conductive and magnetic, immersion of the object in a varying magnetic field can induce both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object. In addition, the use of magnetic materials can enhance the magnetic field and thus Joule heating.

In this illustrated embodiment, the susceptor 224b is formed from aluminum foil, but it should be appreciated that other metals and/or conductive materials may be used in other embodiments. As seen in FIG. 7, the carrier component 242 comprises a number of susceptors 224b corresponding in size and position to discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 244 disposed on the surface of the carrier component 242. FIG. That is, the susceptor 224b has a width and length similar to the individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 244. FIG.

The susceptor is shown embedded in carrier component 242 . However, in other embodiments, the susceptor 224b may be placed on the surface of the carrier component 242. FIG.

The aerosol delivery device 202 comprises a plurality of induction acting coils 224a shown schematically in FIG. Working coils 224a are shown adjacent receptacle 225 such that the axis of rotation about which a given coil is wound extends into receptacle 225 and lies substantially in the plane of carrier component 242 of article 204. A generally flat coil arranged to be vertical. It should be appreciated that the windings are not exactly shown in FIG. 6 and that any suitable induction coil may be used.

The control circuit 223 includes a mechanism to generate an alternating current through any one or more of the induction coils 224a. This alternating current produces an alternating magnetic field, as described above, which raises the temperature of the corresponding susceptor 224b(s). Heat generated by susceptor(s) 224b is transferred to portions of aerosol-generating material 244 accordingly.

1 and 2A-2C, the control circuit 223, in response to receiving signals from the touch sensing panel 229 and/or the suction sensor 230, causes the working coil 224a to configured to supply current; As previously explained, any of the techniques for selecting which heating elements 24 are heated by the control circuit 23 involve the use of a touch sensitive panel by the control circuit 223 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by the user. 229 and/or in response to receiving signals from the aspiration sensor 230, selecting which working coils 224a are energized (and thus which portions of the aerosol-generating material 244 are subsequently heated); can be applied analogously to

Although the above describes an induction heating aerosol delivery system in which the working coil 224a and susceptor 224b are distributed between the article 204 and the device 202, an induction heating aerosol delivery system in which the working coil 224a and susceptor 224b are located only within the device 202 A delivery system may be provided. For example, referring to FIG. 6, susceptor 224b is mounted above induction acting coil 224a such that susceptor 224b is positioned on the underside of carrier component 242 (in a manner similar to aerosol delivery system 1 shown in FIG. 1). may be placed in contact.

Accordingly, FIG. 6 illustrates a more specific implementation in which the techniques described in this disclosure can be applied and induction heating can be used in an aerosol delivery device 202 to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user. describes the situation.

While the above describes a system provided with an array of aerosol-generating components 24 (e.g., heater elements) to energize discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material, in other embodiments, the article 4 and/or the aerosol Generation components 24 may be configured to move relative to each other. That is, there may be fewer aerosol-generating components 24 than individual portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 provided on the carrier component 42 of the article 4 , so that each individual portion of the aerosol-generating material 44 is individually energyed. Relative movement between article 4 and aerosol-generating component 24 is required to be able to provide. For example, the movable heating element 24 may be provided within the receiver 25 such that the movable heating element 24 can move relative to the receiver 25 . In this manner, the movable heating element 24 is positioned (eg, across the width and length of the carrier component 42 ) such that the heating element 24 can be aligned with each of the discrete portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 . It can move in translation. This approach can reduce the number of aerosol-generating components 42 required while providing a similar user experience.

While the above describes embodiments in which discrete, spatially distinct portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 are disposed on the carrier component 42, in other embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is discretely, spatially distinct. , but instead may be provided as a continuous sheet of aerosol-generating material 44 . In these embodiments, specific regions of the sheet of aerosol-generating material 44 may be selectively heated to generate aerosols in much the same manner as described above. However, this disclosure has described heating (or aerosolizing) portions of the aerosol-generating material 44 regardless of whether those portions are spatially separate. In particular, on a continuous sheet of aerosol-generating material (corresponding to a portion of the aerosol-generating material), based on the dimensions of the heating element 24 (or, more specifically, the surface of the heating element 24 designed to increase in temperature). a region may be defined. In this regard, a corresponding area of the heating element 24 may be considered to define a region or portion of the aerosol-generating material when projected onto the sheet of aerosol-generating material. According to this disclosure, each region or portion of the aerosol-generating material may have a mass of 20 mg or less, although the entire continuous sheet may have a mass of greater than 20 mg.

While the above describes embodiments in which the device 2 can be configured or operated using a touch sensitive panel 29 attached to the device 2, the device 2 may alternatively be configured or controlled remotely. For example, control circuitry 23 may include corresponding communication circuitry (eg, Bluetooth) that allows control circuitry 23 to communicate with remote devices such as smart phones. Accordingly, the touch sensitive panel 29 may be implemented substantially using an app or the like running on a smart phone. The smart phone can then send user inputs or settings to control circuitry 23, which may be configured to act based on the received inputs or settings.

While the above describes embodiments in which the aerosol is generated by energizing the aerosol-generating material 44 (e.g., heating the aerosol-generating material 44) and then inhaled by the user, in some embodiments It should be appreciated that the generated aerosol may pass through or over the aerosol modifying component to modify one or more properties of the aerosol prior to inhalation by the user. For example, the aerosol delivery device 2, 202 may comprise an air permeable insert (not shown) inserted into the air flow path downstream of the aerosol-generating material 44 (eg, the insert may be positioned at the outlet 28). good). The insert may include a material that alters any one or more of the flavor, temperature, particle size, nicotine concentration, etc. of the aerosol as it passes through the insert before entering the user's mouth. For example, the insert may contain tobacco or treated tobacco. Such systems are sometimes called hybrid systems. The insert may include any suitable aerosol-modifying material, which may include the aerosol-generating materials described above.

It was noted above that the heating element 24 is configured to provide heat to the aerosol-generating material (or portions thereof) to an operating temperature at which aerosol is generated from the portion of the aerosol-generating material. In embodiments, the heating element 24 is configured to preheat the portion of the aerosol-generating material to a preheat temperature (which is below the operating temperature). At the preheat temperature, less or no aerosol is generated when these parts are heated to the preheat temperature. In particular, in some embodiments, the control circuit signals the user's intent to inhale the aerosol before the first predetermined time period begins (i.e., as in step S1 above). configured to supply power/energy prior to receiving). However, the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of the aerosol-generating material from the preheat temperature to the operating temperature is less, thus improving system responsiveness, but increasing total energy consumption. This may be particularly suitable for relatively thick portions of the aerosol-generating material that need to be supplied with a relatively large amount of energy to reach operating temperature, for example portions having a thickness greater than 400 μm. . However, in such implementations, energy consumption (eg, from power supply 22) may be relatively high.

While the above describes embodiments in which the aerosol delivery device 2 comprises an end-of-use indicator 31, it should be appreciated that the end-of-use indicator 31 may be provided by another device separate from the aerosol delivery device 2. is. For example, in some embodiments, the control circuitry 23 of the aerosol delivery device 2 may comprise a communication mechanism that allows data transfer between the aerosol delivery device 2 and a remote device such as, for example, a smartphone or smartwatch. good. In these embodiments, when control circuitry 23 determines that article 4 has reached end-of-use, control circuitry 23 is configured to send a signal to a remote device, which remote device can (e.g., use the display of a smart phone) ) to generate a warning signal. Other remote devices and other mechanisms for generating alert signals may be used as described above.

Additionally, when portions of the aerosol-generating material are provided on the carrier component 42, these portions, in some embodiments, are weakened areas, e.g., through-holes, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the carrier component 42. Or it may include regions of relatively thin aerosol-generating material. This is the case when the hottest portion of the aerosol-generating material is the region in direct contact with the carrier component (in other words, the scenario where heat is applied primarily to the surface of the aerosol-generating material contacting the carrier component 42). obtain. Thus, rather than potentially allowing aerosol to accumulate between the carrier component 42 and the aerosol-generating material 44, the through-holes allow the generated aerosol to escape and be released into the airflow through the environment/device 2. can provide a route for Such accumulation of aerosol can, in some embodiments, cause the aerosol-generating material to float away from the carrier component 42, thus reducing the efficiency of heat transfer to the aerosol-generating material, thereby reducing the heating efficiency of the system. Each portion of the aerosol-generating material may optionally comprise one or more areas of weakness.

In some embodiments the article 4 may be provided with an identifier such as a readable bar code or RFID tag and the aerosol delivery device 2 is provided with a corresponding reader. The device 2 may be configured to read the identifier on the item 4 when the item is inserted into the receiver 25 of the device 2 . Control circuitry 23 may be configured to recognize the presence of article 4 (thus allowing heating and/or resetting the end of life indicator) or to identify the type of portion of aerosol-generating material and/or location relative to article 4. may be configured to This can affect which portions the control circuit 23 aerosolizes and/or how those portions are aerosolized, for example by adjusting the aerosol generation temperature and/or heating time. can. Any suitable technique for recognizing the item 4 may be used.

Thus, an aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an article comprising a portion of aerosol-generating material has been described. The device comprises a receptacle for receiving an article comprising a portion of aerosol-generating material, and an outlet fluidly coupled to the receptacle. The at least one aerosol-generating component is configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the portions of the aerosol-generating material when the article is received in the receptacle. The device further comprises control circuitry for controlling the aerosol-generating components. The control circuitry is configured to cause the at least one aerosol-generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from each portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance of the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material from the outlet. Thus, the device may allow consideration of aerosol loss during transit to the user, depending on the relative location of aerosol generation. An aerosol delivery system and method for generating an aerosol are also described.

Although the above embodiments focused in some respects on certain exemplary aerosol delivery systems, it is recognized that the same principles can be applied to aerosol delivery systems using other technologies. let's be That is, the specific manner in which various aspects of the aerosol delivery system function are not directly related to the underlying principles of the examples described herein.

To address various challenges and advance the art, this disclosure presents, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) can be implemented. The advantages and features of this disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive or exclusive of all or other advantages and features. They are presented solely to assist in understanding and teaching the claimed invention(s). Advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure shall be construed as limiting the disclosure as defined by the claims or equivalents of the claims. It should not be considered limiting and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments may suitably comprise various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein, and only from them. may consist or consist essentially of them, and thus the features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claim in combinations other than those expressly recited in the claims. It will be appreciated that they may be combined. The present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (16)

An aerosol delivery device for generating an aerosol from an article comprising multiple portions of an aerosol-generating material, comprising:
a receptacle for receiving said article comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material;
an outlet fluidly coupled to the receptacle;
at least one aerosol-generating component configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material when the article is received in the receptacle;
a control circuit for controlling the aerosol-generating component;
such that the control circuitry causes the at least one aerosol-generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance from the outlet to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material; A configured aerosol delivery device. The control circuitry is from the respective portions of the aerosol-generating material such that a substantially constant amount of aerosol passes through the outlets regardless of the distance from the outlets to the respective portions of the aerosol-generating material. 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, configured to generate a quantity of aerosol. The control circuitry is configured to cause the aerosol-generating components to generate a greater amount of aerosol from the respective portions of aerosol-generating material the farther away the respective portions of the aerosol-generating material are located from the outlet. 3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the aerosol delivery device is The control circuitry was configured to cause the aerosol-generating component to generate an amount of aerosol from the portion of the aerosol-generating material based on a function of the distance from the outlet to the portion of the aerosol-generating material. , an aerosol delivery device according to any one of claims 1-3. An aerosol-delivery device according to any preceding claim, wherein said at least one aerosol-generating component is at least one heating element arranged to heat said portion of aerosol-generating material. 6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to set the operating temperature of the at least one heating element based on the distance from the outlet to the respective portion of aerosol-generating material. . 7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 6, wherein the control circuit is configured to set the operating temperature of the heating element closer to the outlet lower than the operating temperature of the heating element farther from the outlet. 8. Any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the control circuit is configured to set the heating time of the at least one heating element based on the distance from the outlet to the respective portion of aerosol-generating material. 10. An aerosol delivery device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs. said portions of aerosol-generating material being arranged in an N×M array relative to said outlets when received in said receptacles, said control circuitry activating X different amounts of aerosol to said aerosol-generating components; and X is configured to generate

The aerosol delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, determined according to wherein the at least one aerosol-generating component comprises a plurality of aerosol-generating components arranged in an N×M array, and wherein the control circuit provides X different powers to each of the plurality of aerosol-generating components; configured to operate on one of the levels, X is

The aerosol delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, determined according to An aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and further comprising an article comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material. 12. The aerosol delivery system of claim 11, wherein each portion of aerosol-generating material is substantially the same. 12. The aerosol delivery system of Claim 11, wherein the properties of the aerosol-generating material vary based on the distance from the outlet when the aerosol-generating material is received in the receptacle. The aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 11-13, wherein the aerosol-generating material is an amorphous solid. A method of generating an aerosol using an aerosol generating device, comprising:
determining the distance between a portion of aerosol-generating material and an exit of the device through which the generated aerosol can be inhaled by a user;
setting an amount of aerosol to be generated from the portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the determined distance;
generating an aerosol from said portion of aerosol-generating material;
method including. An aerosol delivery means for generating an aerosol from an article comprising multiple portions of an aerosol-generating material, comprising:
a receiving means for receiving said article comprising a plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material;
an outlet means fluidly coupled to the receiving means;
at least one aerosol-generating means configured to perform an aerosolization process on one or more of the plurality of portions of aerosol-generating material when the article is received by the receiving means;
a control means for controlling the aerosol generating means;
and
such that the control means causes the at least one aerosol-generating means to generate an amount of aerosol from the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material based on the distance from the exit means to the respective portion of the aerosol-generating material; A configured aerosol delivery means.

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